Apparatus for filling jars and the like simultaneously



P. ROSS] May 1, 1934;

APPARATUS FOR FILLING JARS AND THE LIKE SIMULTANEOUSLY Filed Nov. 28, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet l dlfl MWE/VTOE, 7/T/?o Poss/ (Qcan a w ,0 rro/elvlsy P. ROSS] May 1, 1934.

- APPARATUS FOR FILLING JARS AND THE LIKE SIMULTANEOUSLY Filed Nov. 28. 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 qr-gig? 1: I I

May 1, 1934. P. ROSS! 1,956,655

APPARATUS FOR FILLING JARS AND THE LIKE SIMULTANEOUSLY Filed Nov.- 28, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 M 1m [I w l 1 Z I /Z W W d A TTOE/VEY May 1, 1934. oss 1,956,655

APPARATUS FOR FILLING JARS AND THE LIKE SIMULTANEOUSLY FiledNov. 28. 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 of J 46 0 Z 1 W a 1 r""'-'"' INVENTOI? 7D/ET/FO T0551 Maw A TTO/PA/E) Patented May 1, 1934 PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR FILLING JARS AND THE LIKE SIMULTANEOUSLY Pietro Rossi, Florence, Italy Application November 28, 1932, Serial No. 644,642

In Italy December 2, 1931 8 Claims.

A great many industries, spas, etc. call for bottling, or the filling of flagons, jars, or the like, with liquid or semi-liquid substances for working and extractive purposes, in order to enable the retailing of the products obtained by such industries, manufactures, spas and so forth. This bottling, usually carried out by hand, requires a certain length of. time and some attention on the part of the operator; which enhances the cost of 10 the said products.

Apparatuses have been devised for the filling of bottles and flagons, but they are all based on the fact of the filling of a few bottles at a time, even through multiple taps, each group to be operated by a single action each time.

The invention forming the object of the present specification concerns, on the contrary, an apparatus for the purpose of obtaining the filling with liquids or semi-liquids of a large number of bottles, flagons, jars, etc., that is, in general, vessels of any description and material, the filling taking place simultaneously and with the utmost speed; all this being obtained with the greatest simplicity of operation and the filling being effected in a uniform manner for all of the vessels,

flagons, etc.

' Essentially, the invention consists in providing with a liquid or semi-liquid one or more receptacles, whence emerge a number of small tubes,

pipes, ducts, or the like, corresponding to the number, of bottles desired to be simultaneously filled at a single operation. These tubes or pipes are spaced regularly apart on emerging from the receptacle; vizso that a case, or the like, containing a corresponding number of bottles, ar-

ranged side by side, shall (once it has been placed under the pipes) cause the mouths of all the bottles to register with the spouts of the said pipes; means being provided for raising the case or chest, once the latter has been presented beneath the pipes, so that each pipe shall enter the neck of the corresponding bottle.

The spouts of the pipes must project from the receptacles at a point above the normal level of 5 the liquid therein contained.

It is a characteristic fact that means are arranged for ensuring the raising of the liquid at each operation-for instance, by means of compressed floats, with the introduction of blocks of a specific weight exceeding that of the liquid, etc.-in order that the liquid may traverse the pipes and then flow into the bottles; further means being arranged in combination with all this with a view to ensuring that the action for the raising of the level of the liquid shall occur to the exact extent necessary for the filling of each bottle of the series up to the level desired. The device is furthermore so devised that-on the filling having been completed-a drawing ofl occurs on the part of the filling pipes of the superfluous amount introduced into the bottles, jars, or the like, having been filled.

The invention will be more clearly understood on following the accompanying drawings which show a practical example of the invention.

In said drawings Fig. 1 shows a plan of the apparatus;

a Fig. 2 shows the apparatus in a front View;

Fig. 3 is a section on line AB of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on line CD of said Fig. 1;

Figs. 5 and 5a show in plan and. in cross section, respectively, a case or chest for containing the fiagons or bottles to be filled;

Fig. 6 and Fig. 6a show in plan and in cross section, respectively, a lattice-work gauge for keeping the bottles aligned and in a proper position within the case. (In the same Figure 6 a part of the bottle-containing case should be noted with the gauge superposed in order to perfect alignment.) 80

According to the example shown, it will be seen that upon a'plane'a, supported by appropriate legs I), are located tworeceptacles c-c spaced apart. The said receptacles c are shown as rectangular, but their being of any other shape is not excluded.

The said receptacles cc are in perfect alignment with respect to each other and are open at their upper part. Through the said opening two floats d'ol are let down whose dimensions are slightly inferior to those of the receptacles, and which are centrally and transversely connected together by a bar e.

From any of the ducts, for instance, from the duct 1 (or pipe for the introduction of the liquid) the liquid to be bottled may be introduced from underneath the two receptacles; in fact, the vertical duct 1 turns in under the fiat board a and, through the medium of a triple connecting joint f branches off into a pipe f which enters the interior of the receptacle 0; while the other branch i passes underneath the receptacle 0 where, through the medium of the connecting joint f*, it penetrates at i into the receptacle 0 There dip into the said receptacles c --c a number of small pipes or, adherent to the inner wall, which at a given height of the receptacle emerge therefrom at g there, in groups of about six pipes, they overlap each other in such a manner as to be presented with their six extremities 110 at six difierent points that are equidistant and all of them ranged in the same line.

Asin the example given-there are twelve groups of six pipes to each receptacle, there will be seventy-two projections g all in alignment with each other and at a distance apart corresponding to the thickness of each bottle or flagon to be filled.

Thus, between both the receptacles there will be still in the example shown, 1% projecting pipes g and all arranged at the same distance in a longitudinal direction, as well as at a precise given distance the one from the other in a transverse direction.

The plane a comprised between the two receptacles cc is movable, i. e. it is raisable and carries at a given distance castors h on which the bottle-carrying chest is intended to run. On either side of the receptacles c--c and in the vicinity thereof, are located two guide-ways In the centre and at its lower part the movable plane a carries a forked support To, in which fork is fulcrumed a lever Z pivoted at one end at m underneath the plane a; while the other end provided with a handle Z engages a notch 7L situated in the vicinity of one of the legs supporting the board. On the lever I being shifted away from the notch n by means of the handle Z and conveyed to another upper notch n the plane a is raised. These notches are cut in a plate n vertically shiftable upon the leg supporting the board, in order to enable the movable plane a to be more or less raised.

A U-shaped support 0 is hinged at o to the board a and overlaps the two receptacles c at the centre of the latter; that is to say, the said support passes above them and at a suitable distance from the transverse bar e connecting the two floats. This support 0 is hinged to the board at 0 to enable it to be turned down on one side for the purpose of lifting the floats (1 out of the receptacles 0. At the centre of the support 0 is located a support p having two arms p --p inclined in such a manner that the arm 19 passes beyond the support 0 while that marked p projects in a forward direction.

To the forked arm 10 is pivoted a lever q which takes into the slot 10 carried by the arm 11 said lever terminating in a handle q The central part of the lever q is in the shape of a fork wherein is pivoted a runner T which rests on the head 8 of a pin 5 the latter projects from the support p and from that marked 0 which are guided, above, by a tube or pipe 73; round which latter is coiled a spring u whose base rests upon the support 10 while the upper part reacts below the head 3. Thus, on the handle q being depressed the pin 3 descends, whereas when the handle q is released the spring a once more raises the pin 5 Upon the support 0 is furthermore located a screw 1) provided with winged stop nuts '0 Beneath the movable plane a (Fig. 3) there is another lever to which is pivoted at w underneath the extension a of the plane a. This lever to carries at its front part a projection 2/1 which, after traversing a groove cut in the plane a emerges from such plane.

The opposite end 111 of the lever w emerges from a groove provided on the rearward extension 0. of the plane a. A return spring 1.0 holds the said lever w in such a position that the two projections 12 -41 emerge above the plane.

On the projection 12 being lowered, through a weight, for instance, that marked 12 is also lowered, leaving the upper plane free; on the cessation of the pressure upon 10 the return spring 20 again raises the lever and, consequently, the two projections w --w likewise.

As has already been stated in respect of the movable plane a (that is, that being provided with casters) the two supplementary planes a a are also provided with casters 9:.

Each bottle or flagon to be filled is placed in the compartments 1; of a case or chest 2 (Fig. 5) said compartments being so arranged as to be capable of containingin the example shown- 144 bottles; each case being thus provided with 144 compartments. Each case carries furthermore, on one side only, a projection 11 After the bottles have been placed in the compartments the gauge 2 (Fig. 6) composed of lattice-work is laid over them, each slat 3 of which lattice exhibits the form of an angle. Therefore, when this lattice is laid over the case already filled with bottles, the gauge of lattice-work 2 aligns the same, arranging them symmetrically.

A certain number of these cases 2 are filled and held available.

Through any means-for instance, through special ducts provided with taps, the liquid is introduced into the pipe 1. The liquid will pass through the duct f and through the pipes f -f entering the receptacles c. The two floats will rise simultaneously until the bar e which connects them together reaches and touches the stop-screw c (or other suitable organ) having been previously regulated; the introduction of the liquid is then stopped through turning olf the tap or in any other manner. After this, one of the cases 3, havin already been prepared with the flagons and bottles, is set upon the runners a: of the plane a and said case is caused to run between the two receptacles 0-0 in order that it may be conveyed to the movable plane 11 During its passage the said case filled with bottles or fiagons will, through its own weight, depress the projection 10 thereupon the lever to descends and therewith the projection 10 as well. As soon as the case has passed beyond the projection 10 the lever w drawn by the spring w will rise and the case will remain imprisoned between the projections 20 and w In this position the necks of all the bottles or flagons will register with the spouts g of the pipes g. 7

At this stage the first operating lever Z is actuated, it being conveyed by the handle Z from notch 11. to that marked m and the movable plane a is raised. Thus, the spouts of the pipes g (see Fig. 4) will enter the necks of the bottles.

At this point the upper lever q is operated by being slowly depressed. The pin a will press upon the float-bar e and the floats, on being subjected to this pressure, will sink into the liquid, causing the level thereof to rise. The liquid passing through the pipes y will fill the bottles or flagons up to the desired level, which will be determined by the level obtaining in the receptacles; such level being, in turn, determined by the degree of pressure exerted on the floats. As soon as all the bottles are full the lever q is raised, then as the floats rise, the level within the receptacles c--c re-descends and at the sametime the pipes g again draw 01? any superfluous liquid having been introduced into the bottles or the like, that is, they again draw off liquid up to the level determined by the spout g of the pipes, in such a manner as to thus impart to all of the bottles or the like, having been filled, one and the same perfect level.

-The notches nn perform the function, already stated, of so registering the height of the movable plane that the spouts g of the pipes penetrate to a greater or less extent into the necks of the bottles or the like, thus determining the desired filling level.

The position of the pipes g presents-in the section that is not verticalthat is, in the almost horizontal section, a slight slant towards the receptacles 0-0 which slant prevents any dripping of the bottled liquid, after the lowering of the case and the disengaging of the spouts g from the necks of the bottles.

Through the depressing of the lever Z the handle Z is conveyed from the position 12 back to that marked n the plane a being thus lowered, which will disengage the bottles from the pipes g.

A second case, prepared similarly to the first, is caused to run on the castors as along the plane a this second case will lower the projection w as well as that marked 10 releasing the first case, which, being driven forward by the second, is received by the plane a Meanwhile, such second case will have taken the place of the first, in which the same operation, already described, will be performed.

It will be plain that the bottle-carrying cases may be made of any size and for any number of bottles of any shape whatever. The said cases will, in other words, correspond to the number of pipes projecting from the receptacle or receptacles; thus, in order to enable the apparatus to fill, at each operation, a greater number of bottles, one need only correspondingly increase the number of pipes emerging from the receptacles, as well as increase, correspondingly, the number of spaces in the cases destined to contain the bottles to be filled. Of course, the capacity of the receptacles, the size of the iioats and spaces, etc.. require to be correspondingly increased.

Underneath the receptacles and on the duct i for the introduction of the liquid is provided a discharge tap.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. An apparatus for filling bottles, jars, etc., with liquids and the like, said apparatuscomprising a surface, a plurality of receptacles carried by said surface and adapted to contain the filling liquid, a plurality of pipes projecting from said receptacles and connected therewith, a separate nozzle formed at the end of each of said pipes, a movable case adapted to contain bottles, jars and the like and adapted to be placed on said surface between said receptacles and underneath said nozzles, a lever, a pair of projections formed on said lever at a distance from each other corresponding to the length of said case, said projections being adapted to pass through openings formed in said surface, and means pivotally supporting said lever underneath the portion of the surface carrying said case.

2. An apparatus for filling bottles, jars, etc., with liquids and the like, said apparatus comprising a surface, a plurality of receptacles carried by said surface and adapted to contain the filling liquid, a plurality of pipes projecting from said receptacles and connected therewith, a separate nozzle formed at the end of each of said pipes, a movable case adapted to contain bottles, jars and the like and adapted to be placed on said surface between said receptacles and underneath said nozzles, a plurality of longitudinal and transverse partitions carried by the bottom of said case and forming compartments, each compartment containing a bottle, jar and the like, a gaugeof lattice-work situated over said case and adapted to hold said bottles, jars and the like, a lever, a pair of projections formed on said lever at-a distance from each other corresponding to the length of said case, said projections being adapted to pass through openings formed in said surface, and means pivotally supported said lever underneath the portion of the surface carrying said case.

3. An apparatus for filling bottles, jars, etc. with liquids and the like, said apparatus comprising a surface, a pair of receptacles carried by said sulface and adapted to contain the filling liquid, a plurality of pipes projecting from said receptacles and connected therewith, nozzles formed at the ends of said pipes and adapted to register'with an equal number of bottles, jars and the like, a separate float in each one of said receptacles, a central upper transverse bar interconnecting the two floats, a supporting frame connected with said surface and situated over said receptacles at a distance from said transverse bar, and an adjustable member carried by said supporting frame and projecting into the space between said supporting frame and said transverse bar to serve as a stop for said transverse bar.

4. An apparatus for filling bottles, jars, etc. with liquids and the like, said apparatus comprising a surface, a pair of receptacles carried by said surface and adapted to contain the filling liquid, a plurality of pipes projecting from said receptacles and connected therewith, nozzles formed at the ends of said pipes and adapted to register with an equal number of bottles, jars and the like, a separate float in each one of said receptacles, a central upper transverse bar interconnecting the two floats, a supporting frame connected with said surface and situated over said receptacles at a distance from said transverse bar, a support carried by said supporting frame, a lever pivotally mounted at one of its ends in said support, a roller carried by said lever intermediate its ends, and a movable pin projecting through said frame and adapted to be moved by said lever.

5. An apparatus for filling bottles, jars, etc. with liquids and the like, said apparatus comprising a surface, a pair of receptacles carried by said surface and adapted to contain the filling liquid, a plurality of pipes projecting from said receptacles and connected therewith, nozzles formed at the ends of said pipes and adapted to register with an equal number of bottles, jars and the like, a separate float in each one of said receptacles, a central upper transverse bar interconnecting the two floats, a supporting frame connected with said surface and situated over said receptacles at a distance from said transverse bar, a lever, means pivotally supporting said lever on said supporting frame, a movable pin having one end projecting into the space between said supporting frame and said transverse bar and adapted to actuate said transverse bar, and means carried by said supporting frame for holding said pin, said pin being actuated by said lever.

6. An apparatus for filling bottles, jars, etc. with liquids and the like, said apparatus comprising at least one receptacle adapted to contain the filling liquid, a plurality of pipes connected with said receptacle and having vertical and non-vertical projecting portions, said nonvertical portions slanting toward said receptacle,

CJI

said pipes being adapted to register with an equal number of bottles, jars and the like, and means feeding said liquid from said receptacle to said pipes to fill said bottles, jars and the like.

7. An apparatus for filling bottles, jars, etc. with liquids and the like, said apparatus comprising a surface, a pair of receptacles carried by said surface and adapted to contain the filling liquid, a plurality of pipes projecting from said receptacles and connected therewith, nozzles formed at the ends of said pipes and adapted to register with an equal number of bottles, jars and the like, a separate float in each one of said receptacles, a central upper transverse bar interconnecting the two fioats, a supporting frame connected with said surface and situated over said receptacles at a distance from said transverse lcar, a lever, means pivotally supporting said lever on said supporting frame, a movable pin having one end projecting into the space between said supporting frame and. said transverse bar and adapted to actuate said transverse bar, and a spring supporting said pin and resting upon said supporting frame.

8. An apparatus for filling bottles, jars, etc. with liquids and the like, said apparatus comprising a surface, a pair of receptacles carried by said surface and adapted to contain the filling liquid, a plurality of pipes projecting from said receptacles and connected therewith, nozzles formed at the ends of said pipes and adapted to register with an equal number of bottles, jars and the like, a separate float in each one of said receptacles, a central upper transverse bar interconnecting the two floats, and a supporting frame situated over said receptacles at a distance from said transverse bar and hinged to said surface to permit a removal of said floats.

PIETRO ROSSI. 

